ABSTRACT
This chapter considers three strands of the metanarrative of HIV and AIDS. First, the focus is on the use of the word AIDS in William Gibson’s Virtual Light, the linguistical power behind this word, and the extrapolation of a future where ‘the AIDS’ is eradicated. Next, Susan Schulman’s and Susan Sontag’s texts are compared (i.e. the effectiveness of the former’s overarching metanarrative with the latter’s more individual narrative). Lastly, consideration is given to the ever-changing restrictions of US blood donation placed on gay and trans men and the unseen impact of COVID-19 on those currently experiencing HIV and AIDS. The chapter posits that the impact of descriptors like pandemic and epidemic informs the way the general public views HIV and AIDS and perpetuates the continued fear and stigmatization of those experiencing the virus.
